Filing cabinet construction

ABSTRACT

A drawer type filing cabinet is fabricated with a frame formed by an assembly of extrusions. A few basic extrusions are able to be assembled into a simple, rigid frame with a minimum number of parts. The main frame members are formed by an extrusion in which one portion is formed with a central core having U-shaped channels extending from opposite sides thereof. Each channel is formed with internal, oppositely facing grooves to receive a cooperating extruded U-shaped facia piece which serves both decorative and functional purposes. The core is formed with a reentrant longitudinal groove to receive connecting screws in different directions and an integral flange portion extends along one side of the extrusion for connection with an extruded combination divider and drawer support member. An extruder drawer stop member is of generally T-shaped cross-section formed with oppositely extending flanges and a center leg formed with a reentrant groove along the edge thereof and along a side face thereof to receive connecting screws from different directions. The drawers are slidably mounted within the framework and panels optionally may be added to the exterior where a free-standing unit is to be used.

United States Patent Killam 1 1 Mar. 11, 1975 FILING CABINET CONSTRUCTION [76] Inventor: Oliver P. Killam, 269 Pleasant St.,

Marblehead, Mass. 01945 [22] Filed: July 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 377,257

[52] US. Cl 312/257 R, 312/111, 312/257 SK [51] Int. Cl.. A47b 43/00, A47b 47/00, F16b 12/00 [58] Field of Search 312/257 R, 257 A, 257 SK,

Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Morse, Altman, Oates & Bello 571 ABSTRACT A drawer type filing cabinet is fabricated with a frame formed by an assembly of extrusions. A few basic extrusions are able to be assembled into a simple, rigid frame with a minimum number of parts. The main frame members are formed by an extrusion in which one portion is formed with a central core having U- shaped channels extending from opposite sides thereof. Each channel is formed with internal, oppositely facing grooves to receive a cooperating extruded U-shaped 'facia piece which serves both decorative and functional purposes. The core is formed with a reentrant longitudinal groove to receive connecting screws in different directions and an integral flange portion extends along one side of the extrusion for connection with an extruded combination divider and drawer support member. An extruder drawer stop member is of generally T-shaped cross-section formed with oppositely extending flanges and a center leg formed with a reentrant groove along the edge thereof and along a side face thereof to receive connecting screws from different directions. The drawers are slidably mounted within the framework and panels optionally may be added to the exterior where a freestanding unit is to be used.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 11975 3,870,389

am am 2 FIG. 4

FILING CABINET CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to cabinet construction and more particularly is directed towards a new and improved drawer cabinet of simplified construction with a minimum of parts.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional drawer type file cabinets are made of wood, metal, combinations thereof and, to a large measure, from steel sheets that are stamped and welded. In any event, the side walls of the cabinet provide support for drawer tracks and the like on which the drawers are guided. As a result, conventional cabinets have been rather heavy and quite expensive due to the number of different forming and finishing operations such as stamping, welding, cutting, painting, assembly and the like needed to fabricate this type of cabinet. Furthermore, any change in the size of the cabinet involves substantial re-tooling and attendant expense since few components of conventional cabinets are interchangeable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved file drawer cabinet of simplified construction. Another object is to provide a file drawer cabinet having a minimum number of interchangeable parts useful in fabricating cabinets of various sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention features a file cabinet comprised of a frame and at least one drawer slidably mounted thereto. The frame is assembled from three basic structural extruded members which provide the framework and guideways for drawers and support optional panelling to enclose each unit. The main frame extruded member is formed with a central core having a reentrant longitudinal groove to accommodate connecting screws from different angles to join with other frame members. U-shaped channel portions extend from either side of the core and are formed with oppositely facing grooves adapted to receive cooperating extruded facia pieces which conceal connecting screws as well as to provide a smooth sliding surface for the drawers. The flange extends along one side of the frame member and is adapted to connect with one or more extruded divider members which are formed with an integral flange adapted to engage and slidably support the drawer mounted in the unit. Pairs of divider members taper rearwardly inwards to provide a slight wedging action for holding each drawer in place. An upright stop member is connected to the rear of unit between horizontal main frame members and the divider frame member. The stop member is characterized by T- shaped cross section, the leg of which is formed with mutually perpendicular re-entrant slots adapted to accommodate connecting screws from different directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective ofa file drawer cabinet made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded detail view in perspective and partly in cross-section to show assembly details,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along theline 3-3 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective, partly in section,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED i EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings, the reference character 10 generally indicates a filing cabinet for one or more slidable drawers 12 mounted therein. The cabinet 10 may be made up in a wide range of sizes and in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 the cabinet is dimensioned for use as a card file such as is commonly used in libraries or the like for maintaining a card index system. While the cabinet 10 is shown with six drawers. obviously the size and number of drawers may be varied. Also, while the cabinet 10 is shown as a freestanding unit, it maybe incorporated into an integrated structure with other equipment.

The cabinet frame which supports the drawers is fabricated from three basic structural extrusions namely, a framing extrusion 14, a drawer guide extrusion 16 a, b, c, and d and a drawer stop extrusion 18. The framing extrusion 14 is employed .as upright frame members 20, 22 and 24 in the front of the unit and the upright framing units 26 and 28 in the rear of the unit. The framing extrusion 14 is also employed as the upper and lower horizontal frame members 30 and 32, respectively, at the front of the unit and as upper and lower framing members 34 and 36 at-the rear of the unit. The drawer stop extrusion 18, as best shown in FIG. 4, is mounted vertically between the horizontal framing members 34 and 36 at the rear of the unit and is connected to and supports the inner ends of two horizontally extending drawer guide extrusions 16b and perpendicular thereto which have their forward ends fastened to the center framing member 22 in .the front of the unit. In FIG. 4, four drawer guide extrusion members 16 are employed extending from front to rear to support the uppermost pair of'drawers l2 installed in the cabinet. The drawer guide extrusions are identified as 16a, b, c and d with the drawer extrusion 16a extending between front and rear frame members 20 and 26, a pair of drawer guide extrusions 16b and c mounted in adjacent relation and extending between the front frame member 22 and the rear stop drawer extrusion 18 and a drawer extrusion 16 d extending between the front and rear frame members 24 and 28. All of the drawer guide extrusions 16 a, b, c and d are in the same horizontal plane but each pair tapers inwardly at their rear portions to provide a slight wedging action for each drawer when pushed fully closed as best shown in FIG. 5.

The framing extrusion 14 is best shown in crosssection in FIG. 2 and is generally organized about a central core 38 of rectangular cross-section having a circular passage 40 extending lengthwise along the center thereof and a re-entrant slot opening 42 extending lengthwise along one face thereof communicating with the passage 40. The slot opening 42 is defined by bevelled edges 44. The core passage serves as a means for fastening mutually perpendicular frame members 14 as suggested in FIG. 2. In this arrangement a selfthreading or sheet metal screw 46 is driven through the bottom of the lower front horizontal frame member 32 up into the lower end of the center frame member 22. the screw 46 passing first through the core 38 in the lower frame member 32 thence upward'into the lowermost end'of the'passage 40 in the member 22. The screw is threaded into'engagement by broaching the walls of the passage 40, locking firmly thereto.

The screw heads may be concealed if they are in an otherwise exposed position by means of a facia piece 48 which may be extruded from a relatively stiff yet resilientplastic material of U-shaped cross-section with outwardly extending beveled lips 50 and 52. The facia piece. is mounted to either or both sides of the frame member 14 by sliding it into cooperating oppositely facing grooves 54 and 56 on one side of the extrusion and into grooves 58 and 60 on the opposite side of the extrusion. The grooves 54 through 60 are formed in opposite side walls 62 and 64 formed integral with the extrusion l4 and are connected to the core portion 38 by means of oppositely extending, integral and longitudinally extending webs 66 and 68. The grooves and web formed in the side walls define in cross-section a generallyE-shaped configuration as best shown in'FIG. 2 and it will. be noted that longitudinal shoulders 70 which support. the-facia piece 48 are formed with beveled edges to fit with the beveled edges of the facia lips 50 and 52. The facia piece not only provides a decorative finish to the framing sections of the cabinet but also provides a low-friction sliding surface for the drawers 12 which ride on the horizontal pieces 32. The facia pieces when in place will have their curved outer portions extending slightly (perhaps inch) beyond the outer ends of the walls 62 and 64. In practice, the facia pieces may be colored as desired according to the decorative effect to be achieved.

Integral with the extrusion l4 and extending from the side wall 64 thereof in a flange portion 72. The flange 72 is coplanar with the core 38 and extends medially lengthwise from the wall 64. The flange is formed with a flat face.74 which may be striated to provide a decorative appearance where that face is exposed and also to provide a connecting surface for the member 16 as will be described more fully below. The outer edge of the flange is formed with a longitudinal groove 76 which may be employed to receive the edge ofa divider panel or other decorative panel (not shown). A pair of semi-open passages 78 and 80 are formed in the flange at the juncturewith the wall 64 and may be employed to receive a connecting screw threaded therein. The flange also includes a groove 81 which is employed to receive a nut therein for use in connecting .extrusions 16. The groove width corresponds with the diameter of the nut or bolt head to prevent its rotation when fastening in place. When two similar extrusions 14, suchas employedto form the frame members 22 and 30, are connected perpendicularly to one another as suggested in FIG. 2, the vertical member is cut away in the end of the walls 62 and 64 so that the core 38 will extend down. into the channel of the member 14 to bear against the core ,of the horizontal member. Similarly, the lower edge of the flange of the vertical member will butt against the upper face of the horizontal flange as shown in FIG. 2. With the screws connecting the members'a very rigid joint is provided.

vAs best shown in FIG. 4, the front frame of the unit is comprised entirely of the same type of extrusions l4,

stop' extrusion 18 which is of a different configuration. The drawer stop extrusion 18, as best shown in FIG. 3,

is of a generally T-shaped configuration in crosssection comprised of a leg 82 and a pair of co-planar outwardly extending arms 84 and 86 and a narrow rib 88 extending lengthwise along the center thereof. The arms 46 are relatively thin andformed with longitudinal ribs and grooves while the leg 82'is formed with reentrant grooves 90 and 92 extending respectively from one-side of the leg and fromthe edge thereof. The grooves terminate in longitudinal passages of substantiallycircular cross-sections and are adapted to receive connecting screws which pass through the flange 72 of the perpendicular cross piece 34.

When the drawer stop extrusion 18 is to be connected to the framing members 34 and 36, the opposite ends of the rib 88 are cut back sufficiently to allow the grooved faces of the legs 84 and 86 to butt against the wall 64 of the framing members. When connected in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the member 18 not only providesa rigidvertical support but the legs 84 and 86 serve as stops for the drawers to limit their rearserving as all of the'horizontaland the vertical members. The rear frame members also employ the same extrusions 14 for horizontal and vertical members with the exception that the vertical center piece or drawer ward movement. The drawer stop extrusion 18 also serves to support the inner ends of the extrusions 16 being supported by the upright frame member 22.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the leg 82 of the drawer stop extrusion 1 8 is slightly thicker than the flange 72 of the extrusion 14 so that the drawer guide extrusions 16 which are mounted thereon will converge rearwardly to provide a slight wedging action on the drawer when closed as a means for holding the drawer shut.

The drawer guide extrusion 16, as best shown in FIG. 2, is comprised of a flat body portion 94 with aperpendicular reversing U-shaped channel piece 96 extending along one edge and a reversing U-shaped channel piece 98 extending along the opposite edge. The U-shaped channel piece also includes a longitudinal rib 100 projecting in spaced parallel relation to the flat portion 94. The ribbed U-shaped portion 98 serves to support drawers mounted in the cabinet and the drawer guides are mounted so that the U-shaped portions 98 are located along the lower edge of the extrusion and face oppositely one another in cooperating pairs. The drawer guide extrusions are. mounted by pre-drilling holes 102 through the flat body portion 94 and driving screws, bolts or rivets 104 therethrough into the flange 72 of the member 22v and into the leg 82 of the rearwardly located drawer stop extrusion 18. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, a pair of drawer guide extrusions 16b and are mounted on opposite sides of the members'22 and 18 with single drawer guidevmembers 16a and b mounted to the outer frame members in the manner shown.

The frame unit thus provided is extremely rigid and capable of great stress. It can be made up in a wide range of sizes using theextrusions described. The frame may be left open if it is to be assembled with other equipment or it may be enclosed by the addition of ex- .terior panels 106 as suggested in FIG. 1 where the unit should be free standing. While different material may be employed as the extrusion material, aluminum is preferred since it is light, relatively inexpensive and provides considerable strength to support heavy loads. Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States l. A cabinetfor drawers and the like, comprising a. elongated first frame members connected to one another to define a rectangular front frame section and a rectangular rear frame section,

b. at least one first frame member mounted vertically between the top and bottom first frame members of said front section, and between the side frame members thereof,

c. at least one elongated second frame member mounted to said rear frame section parallel to said one first frame member,

d. cooperating pairs of elongated coplanar third frame members horizontally connecting said front and rear frame sections,

e. said first frame member having a body portion formed with channels along two sides thereof, a flange along a third side thereof and a central core formed with a longitudinal passage adapted to threadably engage screws driven perpendicularly through the core of a perpendicularly adjacent first h. an elongated facia piece formed with outwardly extending longitudinal parallel lips slidably mounted in the grooves of at least one of said channels and having a raised center portion extending outwardly beyond the channel portion to slidably support a drawer thereon, and,

La rectangular drawer slidably mounted between each pair of said third frame members.

2. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein all of said members are of extruded aluminum.

3. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein said piece is extruded plastic.

4. A cabinet according to claim 1 including panels attached to the flanges of the first frame members dcfining said front and rear frame sections.

5. a cabinet according to claim 1 wherein said core is formed with a longitudinal slot communicating with said passage.

6. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the third frame members of each pair converg'e at their rear portion to provide a slight wedging action for a drawer mounted thereon and in a closed position.

7. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the center leg of said second frame member is thicker than the flange of said first frame member whereby third frame members mounted on opposite sides of the same flange and same center leg will diverge rearwardly and cooperating pairs of said third frame members converge rearwardly to provide a slight wedging action for a rectangular drawer mounted thereon and in closed position. 

1. A cabinet for drawers and the like, comprising a. elongated first frame members connected to one another to define a rectangular front frame section and a rectangular rear frame section, b. at least one first frame member mounted vertically between the top and bottom first frame members of said front section, and between the side frame members thereof, c. at least one elongated second frame member mounted to said rear frame section parallel to said one first frame member, d. cooperating pairs of elongated coPlanar third frame members horizontally connecting said front and rear frame sections, e. said first frame member having a body portion formed with channels along two sides thereof, a flange along a third side thereof and a central core formed with a longitudinal passage adapted to threadably engage screws driven perpendicularly through the core of a perpendicularly adjacent first frame member, the sides of said channel being formed with oppositely facing longitudinal grooves, f. said second frame member being substantially T-shaped in cross-section including a cross-piece serving as a drawer stop and a center leg extending between and supporting adjacent third frame members and formed with an elongated passage to threadably engage screws driven through the flange of mutually perpendicular first frame member of said rear frame section, g. said third frame member being formed with a longitudinal flange adapted to slidably support a drawer mounted between each cooperating pair of third frame members, h. an elongated facia piece formed with outwardly extending longitudinal parallel lips slidably mounted in the grooves of at least one of said channels and having a raised center portion extending outwardly beyond the channel portion to slidably support a drawer thereon, and, i. a rectangular drawer slidably mounted between each pair of said third frame members.
 1. A cabinet for drawers and the like, comprising a. elongated first frame members connected to one another to define a rectangular front frame section and a rectangular rear frame section, b. at least one first frame member mounted vertically between the top and bottom first frame members of said front section, and between the side frame members thereof, c. at least one elongated second frame member mounted to said rear frame section parallel to said one first frame member, d. cooperating pairs of elongated coPlanar third frame members horizontally connecting said front and rear frame sections, e. said first frame member having a body portion formed with channels along two sides thereof, a flange along a third side thereof and a central core formed with a longitudinal passage adapted to threadably engage screws driven perpendicularly through the core of a perpendicularly adjacent first frame member, the sides of said channel being formed with oppositely facing longitudinal grooves, f. said second frame member being substantially T-shaped in cross-section including a cross-piece serving as a drawer stop and a center leg extending between and supporting adjacent third frame members and formed with an elongated passage to threadably engage screws driven through the flange of mutually perpendicular first frame member of said rear frame section, g. said third frame member being formed with a longitudinal flange adapted to slidably support a drawer mounted between each cooperating pair of third frame members, h. an elongated facia piece formed with outwardly extending longitudinal parallel lips slidably mounted in the grooves of at least one of said channels and having a raised center portion extending outwardly beyond the channel portion to slidably support a drawer thereon, and, i. a rectangular drawer slidably mounted between each pair of said third frame members.
 2. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein all of said members are of extruded aluminum.
 3. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein said piece is extruded plastic.
 4. A cabinet according to claim 1 including panels attached to the flanges of the first frame members defining said front and rear frame sections.
 5. a cabinet according to claim 1 wherein said core is formed with a longitudinal slot communicating with said passage.
 6. A cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the third frame members of each pair converge at their rear portion to provide a slight wedging action for a drawer mounted thereon and in a closed position. 